Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Another white farmer to replace Bennett in agriculture ministry

Another white farmer to replace Bennett in agriculture ministry
By: TH-TZG
Posted: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 7:15 am

MORGAN Tsvangirai's MDC-T party is to nominate another former white farmer for the post of Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development. Mr Ian Kay is likely to replace Mr Roy Bennett for the post.

Bennett will soon be expelled from the Senate after he missed more than 21 consecutive sittings without official leave. The party is also expected to fill Bennett's Senate seat with Tsvangirai's close ally Mr James Makore.

Mr Kay is a former commercial farmer in Marondera.

He was also one of the farmers who strongly resisted Government's land reform programme.

"He (Mr Kay) seems to be the favoured nominee basically for his background in agriculture and the role he played in resisting the fast track land reform."

The source said Mr Kay was viewed as having the same militancy against land reforms as Mr Bennett.

Mr Makore, a member of Mr Tsvangirai's "kitchen cabinet", was chosen to replace former Zengeza legislator Tafadzwa Musekiwa.

Bennett's expulsion is likely to be formalised when the Upper House resumes sitting in a fortnight.

However, according to Section 41 of the Constitution, if a member misses at least 21 sittings without leave, another member should give notice to move a motion that Parliament declares the seat vacant.

The seat does not automatically become vacant, there has to be a resolution passed by Senate for it to become vacant. It (resolution) must be passed by more than 50 percent of the senators.

Bennett is currently in the United Kingdom where is frantically trying to raise funds for the MDC-T after its funding dried up.

He is also leading an anti Zanu-PF and anti-elections campaign.

It is believed that the MDC-T party is broke and unable to mount a nationwide campaign as they did in 2008 with the help of funds from the west.

President Mugabe refused to swear in Bennett as deputy agriculture minister saying he was not suitable for the role given his background in Ian Smith's racist Rhodesian regime; and because he had many impending court cases.

Other names have been mentioned as his likely replacements in Senate. These include Mr Kay's wife, Kerry and the MDC-T founding youth secretary-general Bekithemba Mpofu.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, IAIN KAYE, MDC, RHODESIANS, ROY BENNETT

posted by MrK @ 11:56 AM